Spring 2002 - North American Butterfly Association · Massachusetts Butterfly Club, a chapter of...

Massachusetts Butterflies # 18

Spring 2002

Copyright © 2002 – Massachusetts Butterfly Club – All rights reserved.

"MASSACHUSEVS BUTTERFLIES" is a publication of the Massachusetts Butterfly Club, a chapter of the North American Butterfly Association. Regular annual dues are $30.00. Those joining NABA - MBC for the first time should make their check payable to NABA and send it to our treasurer, Lyn Lovell, at the address listed below. Membership renewals are handled through the national office: NABA, 4 Ddaware Road, Morristown, NJ 07960; telephone 973-285-0907.

NABA - Massachusetts Butterfly Club Officers and Staff President - Madeline Champagne

7 Pond Ave., Foxboro, MA 02035-2006 (508-543-3380) Vice-president East - Douglas Savich

21 Woodbury St.,Gloucester, MA 01930 (978-283-7869) Vice-president West - Carl Kamp

P. 0. Box 1 1 1, Royalston 01 368 (978-249-9675) Secretary - Nancy Young

63 Vernon St., Northampton, MA 01060-2845 (41 3-585-9380) Treasurer - Lyn Lovell

198 Purchase St., Milford, MA 01 757-1 120 (508-473-7327) Records Compiler - Tom Dodd

33 Mechanic St., Upton, MA 01 568 (508-529-3392); tdodd @gis.net Editor - Brian Cassie

28 Cocasset St., Foxboro 02035 [508-543-3512]; brianrfg @a01 .com

Message From the President, Madeline Champagne

At first it's just plain fun. Butterflies are so beautiful, floating around on the warm sunny days, or flitting from one pretty flower tt5 another, or basking in the sun so we can get a better look. Then there's a lot to learn about them - all the different shapes and sizes and colors and patterns; attracting butterflies to our own backyards by planting the right flowers; identifying butterflies without a field guide; going on butterfly walks and field trips with other enthusiasts; thinking about the last 48 million years of evokution that have resulted in the species that we see today; finding local populations; even identifying skippers without a field guide.

Along the way, some harsh reaEiies set in. New England butterflies usually live only 1 to 2 weeks; survival rates from egg to adult are only about 2% to 8%; sometimes a wasp emerges from a chrysalis, from an egg that was laid in the caterpillar; there are other insects and birds and lots of other predators; weather can affect populations. But these things are all part of the intricate web of nature - and the species

Copyright © 2002 – Massachusetts Butterfly Club – All rights reserved. 1

that we see today have survived against these odds. But worse than the things that have been happening in nature

for millions of years are the human activities, such as manicured chemical lawns, shopping malls, house and industrial developments, and soccer fields. In the past few years I've seen three populations of Baltimore Checkerspots disappear, from bulldozing under a the power line and from crop spraying. At the wild fields at the Foxboro State Hospital, milkweed and mint and wildflowers have been replaced by soccer fields and parking areas. The gravel pits where we used to go for the New Jersey Tea Party are now leveled with asphalt and built on. I've had a strip of land sprayed by my neighbor's lawn service, who didn't care to find out that on our common border all the plants are mine, including the Sassafras which hosts the Spicebush Swallowtail and the locust which hosts the Silver-spotted Skipper. There's a big new office building that replaced some of the area, and now bulldozers are tearing up the land behind a greenhouse where the largest recorded population of Oak Hairstreaks in Massachusetts used to be and where wildflowers and lots of milkweed used to be. There is now a twenty-foot pile of construction dirt on top of a big patch of dogbane that I noticed last year. These are just some of the local things that I have personally witnessed.

And far worse are some of the more widespread issues: a fly that was imported 30 years ago to lay eggs in the Gypsy Moth caterpillars and has been observed laying eggs in Cecropia and Promethea Moth caterpillars - and who knows what else; severe deforestation in the Monarch overwintering area in Mexico; genetically engineered crops - widespread in crops for human consumption, and including the Bt corn that has been proven to be lethal to Monarch and Black Swallowtail caterpillars. Last October the EPA announced approval of genetically engineered Bt corn for another seven years, despite serious questions about the dangers that Bt crops pose to the environment and human health. While these are complex issues, it seems like the environment continues to lose at the hands of man.

So, while most aspects of butterflying (and "mothing" which I also do) are increasingly exciting and interesting and fun, there is this dark side that haunts me. I wish I could buy lots of land and keep it safe. I can't. But I can support groups who can preserve land, who lobby for the environment, and who speak out against the rampant destruction. Locally, I can talk to people about their yards, and to students and to adults about butterflies and respect for nature. I can educate people about the delicate life cycles. I can fill my yard with flowers and host plants and let the rest of it go back to wild. And I can hope that other people will become more aware and help to make a difference.


A Lamentation Over the Loss of A Butterfly Field

by Bob Muldoon

My fawrite butterfly field is now a hotel and parking lot on Tech Drive in Andover, HA, 20 miles north of Boston.

As fields go, wen in its heyday, mine was unremarkable. Crammed between a parking lot and busy road, the field held pedestrian varieties of weeds, wildflowers, and tali grasses. Calculated generously, it measured not much more than a football field. But to me it was an unforgettabfk place of magic and enchantment.

Back in the summer of 1997, 1 had just started a job off River Road. Formerly a cradle of farming on the banks of the Merrimirck, River Road had morphed into a sizzling high tech corridor oif Interstate 93. Even so, vestiges of farms, like Konjoian's and Sirkisianls, still stood in the shadows of Agjlent, PictureTel, and the Marriott.

Eat$ on, I faced the quandary of all new hires: what to do at the lunch hour? Others in my group met daily inr,a windowless room dubbed 'the dungeon" to dissect the latest TV episode of "Friends." But these were not kindred spirits.

Nature was my passion. An outdoors enthusiast, I fancied myself a birder of modest accomplishment. But after some 20 years, apd despite sometime heroic efforts, I was rarely rewarded with a new sighting. And this is what birders crave. For while there is satisfaction in seeing the same species again and again, the pulse-pounding wsh is in finding new ones, building one's "life list." For me, it wasn't happening. I needed a new frontier.

At the foot of a small hill, just beyondlithe campany parking lot, by the elixir for my spirits and answer to the lunch dilemma. Dancing around like bits of colorful confetti were butterflies, a field of them!

What to do: birds or butterflies, dungeons or fields? Unlike Buridan's Ass -- the philosopher's indecisive donkey who~dies of hunger when placed midway between two bales of hay-- my path was clear. Armed with An Instant Guide to Butterflies, I bounded down to the little field below the parking lot. And the treasures that awaited me I valued more than a miser does gold.

With the zeal of a convert, I threw myself into learning about Lep0kbptera Oddly, in years 05 birding, I'd never once taken notice of these bedazzling creatures. The same held true for 99 percent of the monomaniacal birders I knew. Anything without feathers came in beneath our radar.

Each day, 1 discovered butterflies heretofore unknown to me: Common Wood Nymphs, Common Ringlets, Pear'l Crescents, sulphurs,


American Ladies and more. 1 could hardly wait. Although I carried no long-handled nets or specimen jars, the

sight of a grown man leaping about in a field is bound to attract notice. I became known in some circles as "Butterfly Wy." But I wore the scorn as a badge of honor. 11 was hiaving the time of my life!

Initially, I confined my investigations to the field: a strict separation of work and pleasure. But one day, a delicate blue butterfly alit on a flower near the company entrance. By now I was hooked. Dropping ta all fours (thank God for corporate casual), I beheld an Eastern Tailled-Blue. But at that moment, as fate would have it, the vice president of my division strode purposefully out the door.

"I hope you don't mind my asking," he inquired, "but what are you doing?"

"Oh\ hi," I said unselfconsciously. "I'm looking at a butterfly." Maybe it was imagination, but his retreat seemed awfully brisk.

(Rumor would later circulate in the dungeon that I had barked like a dog in response and that the VP had bolted to his car, leaving a trail of rubber behind.)

When winter came, I felt at a loss. With the field dormant, I took to scouting nearby land that might provide different habitats for butterflies. I filed the information away for spring. By March, I was chomping at the bit. In weeks, the year's first butterflies would emerge, spring varieties that had mot been in flight in July when I began. A colorful new cast of characters awaited discovery And apparently the dungeon dwellers were as excited as I. One anonymously plastered my cubicle with scores of butteflly pictures from the internet. Was this a sign they awaited spring just as I?

Before lonb a pageant of brifliantly costumed butterflies arrived on the vernal stage: Mourning Cloaks, burgundy-winged with gold and blue trim; tiny Spring Azures, powder-blue with delicate black etchings; Eastern Commas, orange- and -black patterned but with the tellfrale white "," mark on the rear hindwing. Alas, the Question Mark, similarly colored but with a "?" in place of a ",", continued to elude. But the fun was in the chase. The game was aflutter!

The field was my living laboratory. I learned about the seasonal role of wildflowers; the camouflages and mimicry that help butterflies elude- predators; their telltale flight patterns and times. By now, I carried so many field guides that I strapped them in a pack around my waist.

By mid-summer, my field's law of diminishing returns kicked in; I had mined it of all I could. But even then, it could amaze and delight. One night, I returned to find it twinkling and sparkling. On a midsummer's eve, the fiveflies took center stage.

Fortunately, there were other habitats to explore: forest trails,


river woodlands, and milkweed meadows. And" there I found Red Admirals, Red-spotted Purples, and Viceroys. And resting near the spot 1 found my f ~ s t Great Spangled, Fritillary was an even rarer species: a gorgeous, purple-spandexed jogger. We began dating. Hey, man does not live by butterflies alone!

But fields are ephemeral things, even in the natural order. Left alone, they become forests in a process known as old field succession, whereby a series of plant cammunities (such as shrubs and trees) replaces others (grasses and wildflowers) over time. Disturbances, like fire and farming, create openings in forests, and the cycle of succession continues, creating fields anew.

In August of 1998, several wooden stakes appeared without warning insde the perimeter of the field. It was an ominous sign. But in the weeks ahead, no other disturbances followed. My worries subsided.

By October, the winds of change were gusting. At such times, seeds disperse, butterflies take wing, and with job uncertainty in the air, "Butterfly Boy" took flight, alighting clear across the state near the Connecticut border.

For me, as sad as the severing of any human tie was the loss of my connection to the field. The separation was eased only somewhat by winter's imminent arrival.

When I returned last summer, after three years absence, the hotel and park~ng I d did not completely surprise me. Deep in my heart, I knew it must have always been zoned for such. The wooden stakes had been there For a reason.

At the foot of the small hill I had bounded down countless times, I crossed a thln strip of tended lawn. Stepping off the curb, in fields where crescents and nymphs once danced, I reached the lot. Flightline vans darted in and out, where Painted Ladies and Monarchis once did the same. Potted trees in pits and a murky golf-course-type water hole completed the scene. A green, darner dragonfly patrolled the stagnant water.

Overall, the feel was of an intensely tamed and trimmed strip mall. But the caged basketball court and outdoor pool apparently kepbthe right people happy. The Porsche with Ohio plates in the lot indicated as much. In my Field of D~eams, the sad irony was: if you build it, they will come.. .but the butterflies will go.

Continuing on foot, I reached a sign "Pet Walk" staked in a sliver of grasses and wildflowers, recognizable as a last vestige of the butterfly field. But its size (two chihuahu~as would jostle walking there) and debris (cans, cups, and a tobacco tin) mocked the simple dignity of the old field.

At the last: corner, a second "Pet Walk", slightly larger than the first, supported a patch of goldenrod, Black-eyed Susans, and Queen


Anne's Lace. But it was nearly barren of butterflies: a lone Cabbage White flittec+,about.

Alas, almost everything wild and untamed about my field had been subdued. The image of a timber wolf in one of t h ~ s e knit doggie sweaters came to mind. The clerk told me that 4 Tech Drive had opened six months ago.

Jobs and human development are vital, but so too are fields and buttetdlies. On a recent North American Butterfly Awiat ion~(NABA) Fourth of July Count, I discovered a company in Newton, NH where mowing was confined ta the plant's perimeter. Beyond, wild meadows stretched tor the property's edge.

The effect was dazzling with colorful varieties of wildflowers aqd popubtions of fritillaries, swallowtails, and skippers, not to mention rabbits, birds, and toads. This seemed a worthy paradigm for the balanp of indwstry and nature. I wondered if any butterfly boys-- or girls -- worked here.

On the finial leg of my farewell tour, I noticed a few strands of yellow Wild Indigo on the lawn. These served as wistful reminders of the way these flowers once bloomed in bushes, attracting four or five butterflies at a time.

The poet Shelley wrote of a desert traveler coming across the toppled ruins of a statue of Ozymandias, "King of Kings." Strewn about were the shattered visage and trunkjess legs of the once great man: "NotMng beside remains. Round the decay of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare. .."

And1 now nothing remaiped of my butterfly field but the scattered pet walks and Wild Indigo. Unremarkable in its short reign, yet host to Monarchs, my field was but one of many that came and went, much like the succession of kings. But I, for one, will never forget it.

Bob Muldoon, a graduate of Bates College, has written on topics from boxing to butterflies, telecommunications to forklifts. Along with~Michqe1 Onyon, he participated last year in the first ever NABA 4th of July Count in New Hampshire. E-mail is [email protected].


Fall 2001 Migration Watch at Westport - South Dartmouth

by Brian Cassie and Richard Hildreth

The third year of the Migration Watch Project, coordinated by the authors, was a success in many ways. The butterflies and birds (and to some extent the odonates) were exciting, the season was incredibly and delightfully long, and the weather was usually obliging. As noted in last year's report, the goals of the project are twofold : to document the scope of butterfly, bird, and dragonfly autumnal migrations in the region between Horseneck Beach State Reservation, Westport and Allen's Pond Sanctuary, South Dartmouth and to gather general additional information on animals and plants in the immediate region.

In 2001, observers watched and recorded information over 128.9 hours on twenty-five dates, from September 2 to December 8. The observers were Brian Cassie, Madeline Champagne, Paula Chasen, Richard Hildreth, Erik Nielsen, Wendy Miller, Mimi Murphy, Dolores Price, Nish Raymond, Sam Raymond, Alison Robb, Seth Sweet, and Thomas Whalen. We gratefully acknowledge the help we received from MBC members and other interested participants.

Butterflies

Thirty-three species of butterflies have been found in the study area (plus three additional species just outside the area). Naturally, the list does not include those spring- and summer-flying species that live here, nor are all of the species on this list seen annually. In fact, the 2001 fall total of twenty-one species was the lowest recorded in three years. Here are the species found and a few notes about their occurrence, including their dates of occurrence in 2001 :

Black Swallowtail - The fields at Allen's Pond, with an abundance of Queen Anne's Lace (larval foodplant) and nectaring flowers, are the best spots to find this handsome swallowtaiL As many as seven were seen here. [September 4 - September 231

Cabbage White - Cabbage Whites are widespread across the study area and are typically most abundant at Goosebeny Neck. Wild Radish is an abundant larval foodplant. [September 2 - October 201

Clouded Sulphur - This well known butterfly is recorded on most


dates in September and October, though not yet in large numbers. [September 2 - October 201

Orange Sulphur - At least some of the Orange Sulphur population is apparently migratory and, as such, we can expect numbers to vary from year to year. After a banner 2000, fewer Orange Sulphurs were seen in 2001, though the numbers were still respectable. They were seen very late into the fall, when the almost completely yellow individuals that are common at this season presented identification challenges. [September 2 - December 81

American Copper - This diminutive but beautiful butterfly was not really a feature this fall, after showing a strong flight in the fall of 2000. No more than five were seen on any day. [September 2 - October 121

Gray Hbirstreak - Another species suspected of being migratory, the Gray Hairstreak put in but a single appearance in 2001, with one noted on September 12. In the previous two years it was regularly seen from early September to mid-October, with as many as four in a day. [September 121

Eastern Tailed-Blue - Typically found in small numbers at Allen's Pond and vicinity. In 2001, the high daily total was four. [September 9 - 261

"Summer" Azure - Each year we find this species at the end of its flight period but just barely, with two records in 1999, one in 2000, and one in 2001. [September 121

American Snout - This highly migratory southern species is a rare find in Massachusetts, but three have been observed in our Westport - South

. Dartmouth study area : one in 2000 and two in 2001. [September 3 & 151

Variegated Fritillary - A regular summer-fall migrant into the Bay State, usually in small numbers, the Variegated Fritillary has been observed here each year, with one in 2001. [September 161

Pearl Crescent - Expected in small numbers in the fields of Allen's Pond and vicinity, the Pearl Crescent flew true-to-form in 2001. [September 2 - October 91

Question Mark - Almost all (perhaps every) Question Mark seen in our study area is a migrant and the majority of individuals are seen in rapid migratory flight. The highest daily total in 2001 was six, the lowest such


total in the four years we've counted Question Marks here. [September 9 - October 121

Mourning Cloak - After several good to great fall flight years running, the Mourning Cloak was virtually nonexistent in 2001. [September 12 - October 91

American Lady - The big American Lady migratory flights in 2001 were in the spring, not in the fall. However, the excellent fall weather produced a small, very late brood and two fresh American Ladies were observed on December 1, a strikingly late date for any ladies, fresh or worn, to be flying. [September 2 - December I]

Painted Lady - Painted Ladies typically arrive in Massachusetts in small to very small numbers in mid- to late summer. In 2001, they arrived in appreciable numbers in late spring and apparently had a fine breeding season. The fall numbers at our study site were superb, with as many as 21 6 in one day (September 6). As with the closely related American Lady, a small number emerged from the chrysalis very late, with three fresh individuals seen on December 1. [September 3 - December I]

Red Admiral - This was the highly hyped "Year of the Red Admiral" in the Nomeast, with a big spring flight and an enormous summer flight from at least Delaware to Atlantic Canada. We hoped for a massive fall flight in Westport - South Dartmouth but apparently the parasitoids did their thing and an incredible fall flight never materialized. Despite that, Red Admirals were much more frequent than in 1999 and 2000 and an impressive 137 were noted on October 2. One late-emergent Red Admiral was seen at Allen's Pond on December 5 [September 2 - December 51

Common Buckeye - This species occurs in very variable numbers in Massachusetts from year to year. In the fall of 2001, Common Buckeyes were found in our study area over a seven week period, but with never more than four in one day. [September 2 - October 201

Viceroy - The Viceroy puts in a yearly cameo appearance : one in 1999, one in 200, one in 2001. [September 121

Monarch - Like the other migratory butterflies, the Monarch has its good years and poor years. The 2001 fall flight was comparatively poor throughout New England. The highest one-day count at our site was 420 on October 7. [September 2 - November 31


Least Skipper - Small numbers of Least Skippers are regularly seen in the area in September. This year's high count was five. [September 2 - 231

Leonard's Skipper - A single Leonard's Skipper was observed sunning itself on the rocky outcrop at Allen's Pond Sanctuary. Erik Nielsen's comment was, "There's Lenny." It was our first for the study . area. [September 231

Birdwatching can be very good in the area in fall and detailed bird lists are always kept by the authors, as well as occasionally by others. In 2001, we observed 163 species (two additional species were reported to us from the study area). Birds recorded by us for the first time were Harlequin Duck, Virginia Rail, Common Snipe, Pectoral Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Caspian Tern, Royal Tern, Snowy Owl, Common Nighthawk, White-eyed Vireo, and Common Redpoll. Including two Western Grebes reported in late November at Horseneck Beach (seen by birders with the Maine Audubon Society), the 3-year fall total for the study area is1 90 species.

Mammals and A , . . ~ m~hibians

Ten species of mammals were identified in the study area this fall, based on sightings of living animals, roadkills, or tracks and scat. Short- tailed Shrews were seen by us for the fist time this fall, with one each at Gooseberry Neck and Allen's Pond.

Fowler's Toads, which are always present at Gooseberry Neck, were rather sparsely observed this fall. Spring Peepers were calling at various times in woodland wet areas at Horseneck Beach - four were still peeping on December 1.

Dragonflies and Damselflies

Dragonfly flights were very light during the Migration Watch time frame, the exception being 800+ dragonflies migrating west on September 2 (75% Common Green Darners, 25% Black Saddlebags). The species identified this fall were Common Green Darner, Black Saddlebags, Carolina Saddlebags, Wandering Glider, Eastern Pondhawk, and Twelve-spotted Skimmer. Many meadowhawks and damselflies, as well as several "mosaic" darners, were seen as well but not identified to species.


2001 Season Summary and Records

Tom Dodd

There were 102 butterfly species reported. Again, thank you to the observe^ listed below for submitting their records. A significant number of these records were scoured from the Massachusetts Leps Internet list server. Others were received via e-mail or postal. There were 4 new early records and 8 late records. This year we witnessed a phenomenal flight of Red Admirals, a new location hosting the Bog Elfin, and a recent sighting of Persius Duskyvvlng!

0 bservers (AG)A Grkovich (AK)A Keith (AM)A McGinnis (AR)A Robb (BB)B Bowker (BC)B Cassie (BN)B Ni kula (BW)B Walker (BWr)B Wright (CD)C Dodd (CDe)C Decker (CQC Kamp (CT)C Tibbets (DF)D Furbish (DLr)D Larson (DLu)D Ludlow (DMa)D Marotte (DMi)D Minear (DPe)D Peacock (DPr)D Price (DS)D Savich (DSm)D Small (EC)E Crowley (EG)E Giles (EIBa)E Barry (EN)E Nieisen (ES)E Solberg (FG)F Goodwin (GH)G Howe (JBe)J Berry (JM)J Mullen (JS)J Sones (KHal)K Haley (KHo)K Holmes (KP)K Parker (LizL)L Loveland (LS)L Stillwell (MC)M Champagne (MFI)M Flaherty (MFr)M Freeman (ML+SC)M Lynch+S Carrol (MM)M Murphy (MN)M Nelson (MPe)M Pelikan (MR)M Rines (NY)N Young (PD)P Duffy (PW)P Weatherbee (RH)R Hildreth (RP)R Pease (SS)S Stichter (SSe)S Selkow (TD)T Dodd (TG)T Gagnon (THa)T Hansen (TM)T Moore (WB)W Bosse

Locations (APND) Allen's Pond, S Dartmouth --- (BFDAM) Barre Falls DamfRutland State Park, Barre - (BMBS) MAS Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Worcester --- (BMBS BI) Butterfly lnstitute Field Trip -(BMOOR) MAS Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, Natick --- (BMOOR BO) Buttemy Institute Field Trip ---(CRFAL) Crane WMA, Falmouth --- (CRGRO) Crane Pond WMA, Groveland --(DSTOW) Delaney WMA, Stow - ( D M ) Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield --- (FANST) Fannie Stebbins Refuge, Longmeadow --(GOOS) Gooseberry Neck, Westport -(IRWS) MAS lpswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Topsfield - (LRA) Larkin Recreation Area, Northbridge --(MBNEM) Martin Bums WMA, Newbury ---(MBC) Massachusetts Butterfly Club Field Trip - (MV) Martha's Vineyard ---(PL) Power Line --- (SF) State Forest - (SP) State Park --(M&M) Metacomet-Monadnock Trail


SWALLOWTAILS In the western half of the state, Tom Gagnon commented that the numbers of swallowtails, in general, were low. Tiger Swallowtails appeared only in low numbers. In the east, Bob Bowker, Mimi Murphy and Eleanor Solberg found a record high of 25 Black Swallowtails in a field with Queen Anne's Lace. Spicebush Swallowtails appeared to have a normal year, and Pipevine Swallowtails just didn't make it this far north.

WHITES AND SULPHURS Mustard Whites had a poor showing this year, with only two sightings. However, they have a very restricted distribution in western MA, and there may have been few visits to these areas during their flight. West Virginia Whites had a good year, with a record high of 40 reported in Sunderland. Clouded and Orange Sulphur flights appeared normal. There were only four reports of Cloudless Sulphur this year. On the annual MBC field trip to Cape Ann on September 15, members found what was thought to be a Pink-edged Sulphur. Afterwards, I referred to The Butterflies of Norfh America which states that the Clouded "usually" has a satellite spot on the underneath hind wing, and has a plate showing the Clouded without that spot. Harry Pavulaan, of Virginia, who has contributed to Massachusetts Butterflies in the past, sent me an email commenting on this sighting. He informed me that Pink-edged Sulphurs are "univoltine obligate diapausers", or in simpler terms, have one flight each year, and its eggs require an over-winter period to complete its life cycle. He stated their flight, at this elevation, would be late May or early June, and would be ragged by late July. Harry alludes to the possibility with his closing statement: "But then of course, butterflies do all sorts of strange things that defy what we know about their natural history."

COPPERS, HAIRSTREAKS, ELFINS, AND BLUES Harvesters had a good year. Bronze Coppers are rarely found outside of the Concord/Sudbury River valleys. This year was no exception, with the lone sighting being at Great Meadows NWR, in Concord. In general, the hairstreaks appeared to have just a fair year. However, Richard Hildreth hit the mother lode of Striped Hairstreaks, with a new high of 55, found at Whitney Swamp in Holliston. The rare Bog Elfin was found in Rutland. This is only the second location known in Massachusetts to host this denizen of Black Spruce Bogs. Brian Cassie counted a new high record of 73 Frosted Elfins at Foxboro's town water supply. Brian and Madeline Champagne recently cleared some encroaching brush from this area to help maintain their food plant (Wild Indigo). Brian also informed the


"Mass Leps" list that the Frosted Elfin has been nominated as a state listed species by the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee, but needs to be approved by the State of Massachusetts. Silvery Blues have their headquarters at Delaney WMA in Stow. Barbara Walker and Elise Barry counted 104 there.

BRUSH-FOOTED BUTTERFLIES An American Snout was observed by Brian Cassie at Gooseberry Neck on two occasions in September. This is only the third sighting in this state, in the last ten years. Make a mental note to visit this location in September this year - there's always something interesting. Doug Savich and Claudia Tibbets noted a huge flight of Silver-bordered Fritillary in Rockport with a new high record of 342. Dennis Peacock observed a record high 44 Eyed Browns at Martin Burns WMA in Newbury. Painted Lady's were noted from April 26 to a new late date of December 10. There numbers increased in coastal locations dramatically in the fall, when 216 were counted on September 9. There was a grand flight of Red Admirals this year! The first sighting occurred on Mt Tom, on April 14. On May 3, from out of nowhere, there were 60 flying around Stinging Nettles (larval host plant) at Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, in Marshfield. Then, in early June, the first big wave hit. Sharon Stichter watched for five straight days as Red Admirals (as many as 78 on June 8) streamed north through her yard in Newbury. At the same time, Richard Hildreth had counted 228 at Larkin Recreation Area, in Northbridge. A second wave occurred in early July. While in Eastham on July 9, Cathy Dodd and I made two fifteen-minute counts of individuals moving north. We estimated there were 300-4001hour flying north along the coast during the one hour time period we counted. The last wave occurred during mid September through early October with 137 sighted in the Westport area on October 2. The last sightings occurred at Westport and Edgartown on December 5. A comparison of this past year with the last ten years gives an idea of the magnitude of the flight that we witnessed:

Year Records Records with>=10 Individuals

'92 15

0

'94 116

2

'93 23

0

'95 71

0

'96 19

0

'97 ?

4

'98 99

3

'99 58

1 6

'00 168

'01 439

80


2001 Red Admiral Records

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nw Dec

SKIPPERS Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary has always been a great place to see Hoary Edges. This year, Gail Howe found 10 flying among the Tick trefoils. Brian Cassie reported 222 Juvenals Duskywings. This shatters the previous high record of 105, found in 1998. Mike Nelson from the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program found two Persius Duskywings on May 26. This species, state- listed as threatened, was last reported in Massachusetts in 1985. These individuals were located in the pitch pine /scrub oak barrens of Myles Standish SF. Tom Gagnon found a Common Checkered-Skipper on September 22 at the Northampton Community Garden. Just days before the sighting, Brian Cassie got a tip from Guy Tudor, of the New York City Butterfly Club, that there were more sightings of this species than usual in New York, also being noted in Connecticut. According to Brian, this is only the 3rd sighting in Massachusetts in the last 40 years. On July 5, Richard Hildreth found a Sachem on a power line in Sherborn. He submitted a detailed report of this finding with a sketch of his observation. The chief field marks he reported were: 1) the unusual ground color - yellow-brown and finely mottled, 2) a cream-colored 'Y' pattern and median spot on the underneath hind wing, and 3) the late date for similar "June" butterflies. Previous flights of Sachems in Massachusetts had a precursor flight in New York. This past year, there were few records from that state. There were only a few sightings of Fiery Skipper this year, all from Cape Ann. This is down from a high of 33 records in 1999. This species was first reported by Chris Leahy in Rockport in 1 991, and has had at least one report each year in Massachusetts since 1995.


2001 Butterflv Records

*=new early flight date, **=new late flight date, high counts in bold Black Swallowtail

Apr 29 M&M,Holyokel Mt Holyoke 112 TD Jun 15 Marshfield 5 DF

30 World's End,Hingham 8 MC et al Jul 14 Middleboro 10 KHo

28 LincolnlConcord 2515 BB,MM,ESIBB 29 EdgartownlMarshfield 11114 MPelBC

Aug 11 Northeastern Campus,Burlington 3 MR Sep 8 Morning Glory Farm,Edgartown 6+ MPe

17 GOOS+APND 7 RH Oct 4 Oak Bluffs 1 MPe

Eastern & Canadian Tiger Swallowtail May 1 Wornpatuck SP,Hingham 1 DPe

13 Williamstown 5 PW 26 Petersham 20+ DSm

Jun 10 RoyalstonJPetershamJMt Greylock 30)30)16 CKIENITG 16 BFDAM 29 ML+SC

Jul 2 Rt 169 PL,Charlton 10 RH Aug 11 Northeastern Campus,Burlington 5 MR Sep 17 Springfield 1 KP

30 Florence 1 TG Oct 10 Northfield 1 KP

Spicebush Swallowtail May 6 Holyoke 1 TD Jun 25 Douglas 4 RH Jul 2 Rt 169 PL,Charlton 13 RH

6 LRA 9 RH 10 Rt 85 PL,Milfordl BMBS 617 RHIGH+DPr 15 Falmouth 7 AR

Sep 9 SF,Edgartown 1 MPe

Mustard White Apr 28 Lenox 3 RP Jul 22 Lenox 3 TG

West Virginia White Apr 28 Sunderland 2 TG+MBC May 6 Sunderlandl Mt Tom 4012 AGlBB

9 Granby 1 TD 19 Mt Greylock 4 ML+SC 20 Mt Greylock 13 TG

Cabbage White Apr 2 Woods Hole1 Cape Ann 111 ARI DS+CT May 3 DWWS 66 DF Jun 27 Sterling -222 RH


Jul 7 Truro Aug 11 Burlington Sep 12 Cape AnnlGOOS+APND

17 GOOS+APND Oct 2 Cape AnnlGOOS+APND

21 GOOS+APND Dec 5 ** Charlton

Clouded Sulphur Apr 16 Chilrnark May 3 DWWS

29 APND Jul 14 Edgartown Sep 19 Katarna,Edgartown

26 FANST Oct 2 APND Dec 5 W Tisbury

7 ** W Tisbury

Orange Sulphur Apr 17 Foxboro May 15 Edgartown Jul 4 Katarna,Edgartown Aug 16 Edgartown

23 Edgartown Sep 19 Katarna,Edgartown

23 Edgartown Oct 2 GOOS+APND

19 GOOS+APND Dec 1 APND

7 Edgartownl Chilrnark 22 MV CBC,Chilrnark

Cloudless Sulphur Sep 7 Woods Hole Oct 22 Westport Nov 1 Chilmark

13 Chilrnark

Harvester May 19 Wornpatuck SP,Hingharn Jun 8,9 Foxboro

23 S Hadley 25 Royalston

Jul 24 Arnold Arboreturn,Boston 29 BMBS

Sep 8 Halifax 9 Marblehead

AK DF DLr MPe MPe TG RH M Pe AK

BC AK MPe AK AK M Pe AK RH RH BC AK BN+SYurkis

DPe BC TG CK BC GH MFI KHal


Apr 29 May 12

29 Jun 10 Jul 6

7 15

Sep 16 Nov 8

Aug 24

Jun 25 26 28

Jul 2,16

Jul 4 6

11 14 15 21 30

Jul 4 22

Jun 27 Jul 7

28 30

Jun 20 23 25

Jul 10 29

Jun 23 29

Aug 19 **

Jun 23 30

American Copper E Longmeadow 1 CRFALl Marshfield 28122 N Andover 205 Hingham 60 Acoaxet,Westport 46 Truro 114 Falmouth 49 Milford 13 Chilmark 2

Bronze Copper Great Meadows,Concord . 1

Bog Copper Cape Ann 33 Waring Field,Rockport 44 lRWSl Wakeman Ctr,Tisbury 15119 Cape Ann 31,4 Coral Hairstreak Milford 4 Acoaxet, Westport 2 Mountain Meadow,Williamstown 1 Edgartown 22 Upton 3 E Longmeadow I SF,Edgartownl Cape Ann 41 1

Acadian Hairstreak Milford 5 Pittsfield 6

Edwards' Hairstreak Great Blue Hill,Milton 1 W Tisburyl SF,Edgartown 713 E Longmeadow 3 SF,Edgartown 1

Banded Hairstreak Milford 1 FramingharnlWoburnlS Hadley 511012 Foxboro 8 Milford 13 Sunderlandl Cape Cod 111

Hickory Hairstreak Woburn 1 Rt 85 PL,Milford 1 Comm Garden,Northampton 1

Striped Hairstreak Woburn 1 Whitney Swamp,Holliston 55

KP DPe+EC FG DPe ML+SC AR AR RH MPe

DLr

RH+BMBS BI ML+SC PW MPe TD+CD KP MPel DS+CT

RH TD+CDIMRITG MC RH DMil SSe


Jul 3 4

28 Aug 22

Jun 23 27

Apr 14 26 29

May 2 4 6

19 Jun 10

Apr 20 29 29

May 2 6

10 19

May 5 7

Jun 8 13

Apr 29 May 6

8 22

date ?

Apr 22 29

May 2 6

10 12 19 26

Jun 16

BMBS 5 Milford 9 Upton 4 Cape Ann 1

Oak Hairstreak Woburn 2 Great Blue Hill,Milton I

Brown Elfin Parnet,Truro 2 N Reading 4 Sherbornl Trurol Cape Ann 416513 Myles Standish SF,Plymouth 16 Blue Hills,Miltonl Quabbin Park 1012 SF,MVITurners Falls 1513 SF, MV -20 LRA 1 Hoary Elfin Wasque, MV 1 SF, MV 7 Parnet,Truro 2 Myles Standish SF,Plymouth 14 SF, MV 9 SF- all fairly worn,MV 7 SF- all very worn,MV 3 Frosted Elfin Turners Falls 3 Foxboro 73 Foxboro 6 Grafton 1

Henry's Elfin Westport 1 Am herst 2 Halifax 2 Royalston 1

Bog Elfin Rutland 1

Eastern Pine Elfin Myles Standish SF,Plyrnouth 1 Petersharn 23 Marshfield 4 Petersham 13 SF, MV 42 E Quabbin 22 SF, MV -30 DSTOW 4 BFDAM 2

BN PD BBIBNIDS+CT DPe AGIML+SC MPelTG MPe RH

L Raleigh fide MPe MPe BN DPe MPe M Pe MPe

DPe TG DPe CK

fide BC

DPe EN DLu EN MPe TG MPe EIBa+BW ML+SC


Apr 30 May 19

19 Jun 8

9 Jul 28 Aug 1

May 8 Jun 6

May 1 10

Jul 15 Sep 2

Apr 29 Jun -10 Jul 10

10 30

Sep 24 Oct 2

Jun 10

Apr 30 May 10 Jun 15 Jul 4 Aug 10

23 Sep 16 Oct 4

I 1

Apr 10 22

May 2 3

12 14 22

Jun 16 Jul 5

10

Juniper Hairstreak Trade Winds, Oak Bluffs 2-3 MPe Trade Winds, Oak Bluffs 4 MPe Farm Pond, Oak Bluffs 7 MPe Trade Winds, Oak Bluffs 3+ MPe Foxboro 3 BC Mt Tom Reserl Mt Holyoke Reser 1312 TG Oak Bluffs( W Tisbury 211 MPe

Hessel's Hairstreak Halifax 7 DPe Brentwood Cons Area, Holliston 2 RH

White M Hairstreak Wompatuck SP,Hingham 1 DPe SF,Edgartown 1 MPe CRFAL 2 AR Sutton 1 TM Gray Hairstreak SF, W Tisbury 1 MPe Hingham 1 DPe Rt 85 PL, Milford 3 RH BMBS 1 GH+DPr SF, Edgartown 5 MPe IRWS 1 FG W Tisbury 1 MPe Early Hairstreak Mt Greylock 3 TG

Eastern Tailed-Blue Cape Ann 4 DS+CT SF, MV 22 MPe Falmouth 11 AR Old RR PL, Milford -30 RH Wachusett Meadow, Princeton 20 CK et al W TisburylW TisburylEdgartown 3113118 MPe Rt 85 PL, Milford 15 RH SF,West Tisbury 12 MPe Waring Field, Rockport 1 FG+DS

Spring Azure (spp) Moosehill MAS, Sharon 1 DLr Myles Standish SF, Plymouth 28 DPe Myles Standish SF, Plymouth 32 DPe Bird St Cons Area, Stoughton 38 DLr E Quabbin 30 TG Chicken Farm, Truro 30 AR Royalston 30 CK BFDAM 35 ML+SC Western Ave Cons,Sherborn 8 RH Wenham Canal1 Milford 2117 FGlRH


29 Sep 13

May 14 26

Jun 6 10

Sep 3 15 **

Jun 20 Sep 16 Oct 5

Jun 17 26 30

Jul 1 2

Aug 5 25

Sep 23

Jun 29 Jul 2

10 Aug 26 Sep 8

Jul 7 22

May 14,31 Jun 7

9 10

11-20 JuI 11-20

21 25-31

Aug 10 Sep 18

19

May 28 Sep 15

BMBS 7 Chilmarkl Chilmark 112

Silvery Blue Chicken Farm,Truro 1 DSTOW 104 Greylock Glen, Adams 1 LRAl Windsor 213

American Snout GOOS 1 GOOS 1

Variegated Fritillary Cape Ann I GOOS 1 Quabbin Reservoir 1

Great Spangled Fritillary Brentwood Cons Area, Holliston 1 BMBS 24 Whitney Swamp, Holliston 35 Purchase St PL, MilfordlBMBS 38126 Rt 169 PL,Charlton 81 Ware River Watershed, Barre 26 MBNEWlSherborn 1417 Bolton FlatslRoyalston 111

Aphrodite Fritillary BMBSlMilford 112 Rt 169 PL,Charlton 3 Rt 85 PL,Milford 4 Am herst 2 E Longmeadow 1 Atlantis Fritillary Dubuque SF,Hawley 5 Cummington 1

Silver-bordered Fritillary Cape Ann 7,131 Cape Ann 54 Waring Field, Rockport 300 Petersham 5 Cape Ann max 110 Cape Ann max 342 Fowl Meadow,Milton 6 Cape Ann max 194 Cape Ann 65 Evans Field,Provincelands 50 Cape Ann 1

Meadow Fritillary High Ledges WS,Shelburne 12 Bartholomew's Cobble. Sheffield 4

DS+CT BC DSm

DPrjRH RH RH DMi KP

DS+CT DS+CT FG EN DS+CT DS+CT DPe DS+CT DS+CT AR,THa DS+CT

DPe ML+SC


Jun 5 8

11 13 15 25 28

May 9 Jun 10 Jul 11

25-30 Aug 5

18 Sep 23 Oct 9

Jun 9 26 30

Jul 4 7

11 12 22

Apr 15 Jun 1

29 30 30

Jul 25 Aug 20 Sep 13 Oct 12

Apr 4 9

14 May 2 Jun 19

28 Jul 26 Oct 5

Apr 11

Harris' Checkerspot BMBS 2 Rt 85 PL,Milford 13 BMBS 20 BMBS 23 BMBS 24 Royalston 4 BMBS 1

Pearl Crescent Granby 1 CRFAL 300 Stoughton 55 Cape Ann max 21 5 Ware River Watershed, Barre 162 FANST 35 Wenham Canal, Wenham 94 APND 1

Baltimore Checkerspot Old RR PI, Milford 1 Watcha Path, Edgartown 2 Turkey Hill, Hingham 236 Old RR PI, Milford 7 Truro 114 Mountain Meadow, Williamstown 13 Weir Hill Reservation, N Andover 17 Boxford 2

Question Mark Royalston 1 DWWS 1 Katama, Edgartown 7 World's End, Hingham 5 Cape Ann 2 George's Island 3 Cape Ann 3 Squibnocket, Chilmark 3 GOOS 1

Eastern Comma Holliston 1 lpswich 1 Mt Tom Reservation 17 Stoughton 3 Uxbridge 6 LRA 12 Dunback Meadows,Lexington 12 LRA 1

Compton Tortoiseshell Hingham 6

TD AR,THa DLr DS+CT ML+SC TG FG RH

RH CDe TG '

DLr RH RH MR RH

DPe


22 23

May 19

Mar 16 19

Apr 4 14

29,30 May 3 Jun 6 Jul 7 Oct 10

Apr 29 May 28 Jun 10

18 19 20 28

Jul 1

Apr 4 24 29

May 5 14 3 1

Jun 6 7

Jul 10 30

Sep 2 12

Oct 2 19

Dec 3-5 *

Apr 26 Jun 6 Jul 30 Sep 3

9 16 17 18

Hingham 3 Quabbin,Petersham 2 Wompatuck SP,Hingham 1

Mourning Cloak Nickerson SP,Brewster 1 Malden 1 CambridgelCape Ann 119 Mt Tom ReservationlBMBS 1015 Mt Holyoke 9 Mt Holyoke 9 Mt Greylock 10 Provincelands 18 Nomans Land,Chilmarkl Milford 112

Milbert's Tortoiseshell PL,Sherborn 1 E Longmeadow 1 Mt Holyoke 1 Florence 1 Montague 1 Hubbardston 5 Dunback Meadows,Lexington 2 Sterling Peat,Sterling 1

American Lady Chappaquidick,Edgartown 1 Burlingtonl Mt Tom1 Holliston 21418 Westport 57 Joppa Flats (moving N) 31 Plum Island,Newbury 15 Cape Ann 34 Mt Greylock 48 Rt 169 PL,Charlton 18 Rt 85 PL,Milfordl Wenham 1018 SF,Edgartown 4 SterlinglS Monornoy 4114 Westport 11 GOOS 6 Westport 5

* Oak Bluffs 1

Painted Lady New Salem 1 Mt Greylock 10 Edgartown 7 GOOS+Westport10ak Bluffs 90,2811 6 GOOS 216 Aquinnah, MV -30 GOOS+APND 76 Somerville -8

DPe DSm DPe

BB KP CK TG DMi DSm MR ML+SC

AK BWrlTDIRH DPe ML+SC DLr DS+CT TG RH RHlFG MPe SSelEN RH RH RH MPe

DSm TG+BC M Pe BClMPe BC MPe RH LizL


23 Oct 6 Dec 1

10 **

Apr 14,15 May 3

30 Jun 4-8

10 Jul 1

5 6 9

21 22

Aug 19 Sep 12 Oct 2

2 Dec 5

Jul 5 Sep 2

3 9

23 Oct 6

2 1

Jun 10 10 16 25

Aug 26

May 25 Jun 10

8-1 0 16

Aug 5 28

Sep 7

May 21 Jun 5

7

Westport 53 BC+MC+EN Dartmouth, Westport 9 BC+MCet al APND 4 BC Oak Bluffs 1 MPe

Red Admiral Mt Tom Reservation 1 TG DWWS 60 DF Edgartown 25 MPe Newbury max 78 SS LRA 228 RH IRWS 12 DMa+WT

Cape AnnlGeorges ls1.(61 min),Hull 64165 DS+CTIBC (Most heading N),Westport 143 ML+SC -300/hr,Eastharn 300 TD+CD flying N/NW,Orleans 91 MFr Dunback Meadows,Lexington 20 AM Jone's Nose, 20-30 PW GOOS+APND 46 RH Cape AnnlMV 5140 DS+CTlMPe GOOS+APND 137 RH APNDIEdgartown I l l MClMPe

Common Buckeye Western Ave Cons,Sherborn 1 RH Westport 2 BC Chilmark 2 AK GOOS 4 BC Westport 2 BC+MC+EN Dartmouth,Westport 2 BC+MC et al GOOS+APND 1 MC

Red-spotted Admiral (White Admiral form) WrenthamlPetersharn 111 MClEN Mt GreylocklRoyalston 111 TGlCK BFDAM 2 ML+SC Royalston 1 CK Barre 1 ElBa

Red-spotted Admiral (Red-spotted Purple form) PL,Sherborn 1 BB Petersham 8 EN Hingharn (Bio Days) 32 DPe BFDAM 19 ML+SC Ware River Watershed, Barre 14 ML+SC Waskosim's Rock,Chilmark 6 MPe Natick 1 ES

Viceroy BMBS 1 GH BMBS 7 GH+DPr Rt 169 PL,Charlton 7 RH


Jul 2 27 29 29

Aug 4 26

Oct 5

Jun 24 Aug 18

Jul 28 Aug. 18 **

Jun 28 Jul 2

7 14 2 1

Aug 11

Jun 9 * Jul 1

1 14 28

Aug 22

Jun 16 Jul 6,7

12 19

Aug 18

May 20 Jun 5

8,9 10 11 29

Jui 10 30

May 20 Jun 1

4 7

Rt 160 PL,Charlton 5 CRGRO 10 MBNEWIBMBS 12110 Cherry Hill Reservoir,W Newbury 6 MBNEW 13 OxfordlBFDAM 217 IRWSILRA 111

Hackberry Emperor Forest ParkSpringfield 2 Forest Park, Springfield 8

Tawny Emperor Mt Hoiyoke 1 Forest Park,Springfield 1

Northern Pearly-Eye LRA 1 Rt 169 PL,Charlton 3 Dubuque SF,Hawley 2 Middleboro 2 Ware River Watershed, Barre 3 Northeastern Campus,Burlington 1

Eyed Brown Hale Reservation,Westwood 20 l RWS 2 Purchase St PL,Milford 3 MBNEW 44 Royalston 1 PL,Sherborn (fresh) 1

Appalachian Brown Purchase St PL,Milford 1 Hoft Farm,W Tisbury max 8 Falmouth 12 Cape Ann 5 FANST 3

Little Wood-Satyr W Roxbury,BostonlM&M,Holyoke 111 BMBS 71 Foxboro max I 30+ Falmouth 250+ BMBS 123 Cape Ann 9 BMBS 13 Cape Ann 1

Common Ringlet Turkey Hill,Hingham 9 Turkey Hill,Hingham 115 Weir Hill Reservation,N Andover 102 l RWS 200+

RH RH ML+SC KHo ML+SC MR

EN DMa+WT RH DPe CK BB

RH MPe AR DS+CT SSe+TG

DLr DPe FG FG


9 10 16

Aug 10 26

Sep 6 Oct 3

Jun 30 Jul 25

3 1 Aug 5

10 10 31 31

Sep 21

May 8 Jun 18 Jul 22,23

27 Aug, 10

16,23 Sep 4

12 15 16 17 26

Oct 2 6

12 2 1

Nov 14

May 20 Jun 7 Jul 2

3 5 6

15 29

Oct 4

lRWSl Rockport 1151167+ CRFAL 150+ IRWS 88 PrincetonlCape Ann 50118 BFDAM 30 NewburyllRWS 312 Comm Garden,Northampton 1

Common Wood-Nymph BMOORl World's End,Hingham 112 Cape Ann 78 Cape Ann 75 Ware River Watershed, Barre 138 Wachusett Meadow, Princeton 100 Cape Ann 59 Cape Ann 12 Trade Winds,Oak Bluffs 2 Chappaquidick,Edgartown 1

Monarch Chicopee 1 Western Ave Cons,Sherborn 3 Chilmark 5 Crane Pond WMA,Groveland 8 Wachusett Meadow, Princeton 17 Edgartown 30 Gay Head Cliffs,Aquinnah 14 GOOS+APND 145 Mt Tom 91 Somerville 55 GOOS+APND !Cape Ann 141 187 Deerfield1 FANST 30194 GOOS+APND 322 Dartmouth,Westport 420 GOOS+APND 99 GOOS+APND 55 Cape Ann 1

Silver-spotted Skipper BMBS 2 Rt 169 PI,Charlton 16 Rt 169 PL,Charlton 17 Florence 2 1 Western Ave Cons,Sherborn 1 8 Tisbury Meadow,Tisbury 47 Falmouth 23 W NewburylSherborn 715 Comm Garden,Northampton 1

Hoary Edge Rt 169 PL,Charlton 8

DMalFG AIRo,ToHa DMa CKIDS+CT ElBa FG TG

RP RH AK SS CK et al AK M Pe RH TG LizL RHIDS+CT KPlTG RH BC+MC et al RH MC DS+CT

GH+BMOOR BI RH RH TG RH MPe AR ENlBB TG


16 18 26

Jul 1 2

0.

Jun 4 10 16 20

Jul 2

May 13 Jun 11

18 26

Jul 25

May 2 26

Jun 1 5

20

Apr 29 May 10

19 25

Jun 1 8

Apr 22 May 7,8

11 12 14

Jun 5 25

May 7 12

Jun I 5,11

8 Jul 28 Aug 11

Whitney Swamp,Holliston 4 Woburn 6 BMBS 6 BMBS 10 Rt 169 PL,Charlton - 9 Rt 85 PL,MilfordlBMBS 314

Southern Cloudywing Peabody 1 CRFAL 2 BFDAM 2 Hubbardston I Rt 169 PL,Charlton 4

Northern Cloudywing Sunderland 1 Cape AnnIBMBS 916 Woburn 8 W TisburylBMBS 114 BMBS 1

Dreamy Duskywing Myles Standish SF,Plymouth 8 DSTOW 8 GraftonlPlymouth 1018 BMBS 7 Hubbardston 3

Sleepy Duskywing SF,W Tisbury 1 SF,MV 4 SF,MV 12 PL,Sherborn 1 Plymouth 1 Foxboro 1 Juvenal's Duskywing Myles Standish SF,Plymouth 3 BMBS max 35 PL,Sherborn 22 Uptonl Quabbinl BMBS 17191 128 FG Hills SF,Foxboro 222 BMBS 20 Royalston I

Horace's Duskywing Lexington 2 BMBS 5 Dauphinais Park,Grafton 2 BMBS max 4 Foxboro 1 Natick 1 Northeastern Campus,Burlington 1

AG AR,THa ML+SC DSm RH

DPe EIBa+BW DPrlDPe GH+DPr DSm

MPe MPe MPe BB DPe BC

DPe GH BB TDlTGlGH BC GH+DPr CK

BWr GH DPr. GH+DPr BC BB MR


May 7 26

Jul 28 29

Aug 14 Oct 2

May 26

Sep 22

May 20 Jun 10 Jul 25

28 28

Sep 8

May 26 29

Jun 6 10 11 15

May 25 Jun 10

26 Aug 11

12 18

Sep 8 Oct 3

May 25 Jun 14

17 18 20 27

Jul 11 14

Aug 14 **

Sep 8 10,13

Wild Indigo Duskywing Foxboro 1 DSTOW 12 Natick 14 MarshfieldlBMBS 10120 BMBS 6 Cornm Garden,Northampton 1

Persius Duskywing Myles Standish SP,Plymouth 2

Common Checkered-Skipper Comm Garden,Northampton 1

Common Sootywing Agawarn, HolyokelBMBS 1,112 Middleborol W Newbury 111 BMBS 3 Lincoln 5 Cornrn Garden,Northampton 10 Cornrn Garden,Northampton 1 Arctic Skipper DSTOW 1 N Andover 1 Greylock Glen,Adams 7 WindsorlRoyalston 1112 BMBS 2 BMBS 1

Least Skipper PL,Sherborn 3 LRA 5 RockportlEdgartown 27135 Northeastern Campus,Burlington 20 Warnpesket,W Tisbury 19 FANST 30 Waring Field,Rockport 5 Chilmark 3

European Skipper PL Sherborn 4 Maple Park Cons, Mansfield 1358 Wachusett Res,W Boylston 660 Western Ave Cons,Sherborn 484 Hubbardston 2500 Cape Ann 162 Mountain Meadow,Williamstown 2 MiddleborolEdgartown 111 Mt Greylock 1

Fiery Skipper Waring Field,Rockport 1 Cape Ann 1

BB RH FGlMPe MR MPe TG FG AK

BB RH ML+SC RH DSm DS+CT PW KHolMPe Guy Tudor


Aug 19 25 31

Sep 9 23 23

Oct 4

May 7 10 12 20

Jun 11

May 28 Jun 8

9 I 0 17 20 27

May 18 Jun 3

9 10

Aug 5 14 19 25

Sep 18

May 28 Jun 10 Jul 7 Aug 12

18 23

Sep 22 **

Jun 10 29

Jul 5 10 3 1

Gloucester, Rockport 1,2 MBC

Leonard's Skipper Florence 2 TG PL,Sherborn 9 BB Trade Winds,Oak Bluffs 24 MPe Trade Winds,Oak Bluffs 35 MPe APND 1 BC+MC+EN Cape Poge, Edgartown 2 AK SF,W Tisbury 3 MPe

Cobweb Skipper BMBS I GH SF,MV, W Tisbury 17,5 MPe CRFALIBMBS 4110 DPe+EC(GH BMBS 31 GH+BMOOR BI BMBS 1 GH

Indian Skipper Florence 8 TG Foxboro 7 BC Amherst 4 TG Cherryhill Reservation,W Newbury 4 FG Wachusett Res,W Boylston 8 ML+SC Hubbardston 11 DSm Westminster,Gardner 1 RH

Peck's Skipper Cape Ann 2 DS+CT E Longmeadow 20 KP Old RR PL,Milford 20 RH June 8-10,Hingham 22 DPe E Longmeadow(Stoughton(Milford 20j10(l I KPlDLrlBB BMBS 23 GH+DPr Florence 20 TG Quabbin Park 20 ML+SC (fresh),Oak Bluffs 1 MPe

Tawny-edged Skipper Florence 1 TG HinghamlCRFAL 412 DPelAR+THa Truro 7 AR Franklin Ave.,Oak Bluffs 5 MPe FANST 5 TG W Tisbury 4 MPe Westwood 1 EN

Crossline Skipper Hingham 1 DPe SF,Edgartown 9 MPe Western Ave Cons,Sherborn 2 RH BMBS 6 GH+DPr Woods Hole 1 AR


Aug '4 5

11

Jun 1 9 9

14 26

Jul 14 Sep 5

Jul 1 10 11 15 29

Aug 12

Jun 26 Jul 3

3,lO 10

Aug 5 14

Jul 5

Jun 18 Jul 4

10 12 28

Jul 4 19 2 1 29 3 1

May 20 Jun 5

9 11 18

Jul 7

E Longmeadow 2 E Longmeadow I E Longmeadow 2

Long Dash Turkey Hill,Hinghaml Oak Bluffs 1011 Hale Reservation,Westwood 12 I R W S ~ R O C ~ ~ O ~ ~ 718 Cape Ann 13 Edgartown 7 (male, very worn), Edgartown 1 (fresh) Franklin Ave.,Oak Bluffs 1

Northern Broken-Dash SF,Edgartown 3 BMBS 7 Mountain Meadow,Williarnstown 6 Falmouth 6 PL,Sherborn 5 Franklin Ave.,Oak Bluffs 1

Little Glassywing BMBS 1 Brook St PL,Sherborn 4 BMBS rnax 5 Rt 85 PI,Milford 3 Stoughton 3 BMBS 2

Sachem Western Ave Cons,Sherborn 1

Delaware Skipper Florence 1 Milford 3 BMBS 3 Weir Hill Reservation,N Andover 4 Lincoln 1

Mulberry Wing Old RR PL,Milford 3 Cape Ann 7 Puffers Pond,Am herst 4 PL,Sherborn 14 Old Coke Kiln Rd,Leverett 1

Hobomok Skipper E LongrneadowlFANST,Holyoke 111 , I BMBS 14 Rockport1 AmherstlGrafton 61619 BMBS 20 Cape Ann 7 Dubuque SF,Hawley 2

DPelMPe EN DMalFG DS+CT M Pe MPe MPe

MPe GH+DPr PW AR BB MPe

GH+DPr+JM RH GH et a1 RH DLr GH+DPr

RH+GH et a1 DS+CT DMi BB DMi


Aug 18 18

Jul 4 * 10 28 29

Aug 14 18

Jul 5 15 19 22

Jun 25 Jul 7

10 29

Aug 5 11 22

Sep 3

May 19 28

Jun 7 9

11 18

May 20 2 1

Jun 4 5

10 11

Jun 9 16 20

Zabulon Skipper 16m, 7f FANST 23 TG I m Forest ParkSpringfield 1 TG

Broad-winged Skipper Milford 1 RH+GH eta1 Wenham Canahwenham 11 FG Fowl Meadows,Milton 26 sethe BMBS 17 GH BMBS 18 GH+DPr FANST 1 TG+MBC

Black Dash Western Ave Cons,Sherborn 3 RH MiddleborolE Longmeadow IUpton 111 I1 KHolKPITD+CD Cape Ann 2 DS+CT Richmond 1 TG

Dun Skipper Royalston 1 CK Truro 18 AR Rt 85 PL,Milford 6 RH BMBS 12 GH Ware River Watershed, Barre 63 ML+SC Northeastern Campus,Burlington 15 MR PL,Sherborn 9 BB BMBS 1 BW et al

Dusted Skipper Wompatuck SP,Hingham I DPe Florence 3 TG W TisburylBMBSlCharlton 41213 MPelBWlRH Hale Reservation,Westwood 15 EN BMBS 8 GH Western Ave Cons,Sherborn 1 RH

Pepper and Salt Skipper BMBS 2 GH+BMOORBI BMBS 7 GH IRWS 2 FG BMBS 3 GH+DPr Petershaml Mt Greylock 111 ENlTG BMBS 1 GH

Common Roadside-Skipper Sunderland 1 TG BFDAM 2 ML+SC Rt 85 PL,Milford 2 RH


The 2001 Flights of Vanessas in Massachusetts

by Matthew Pelikan, Brian Cassie, and Richard Hildreth

Bright in color, widespread in distribution, and active in habits, our three members in the genus Vanessa - Red Admiral, Painted Lady, and American Lady - rank among the most familiar butterflies in America. Paradoxically, they are also among the most enigmatic: these three species exhibit some of the most impressive mass movements found among our butterflies, huge migrations that defy explanation and produce startling variations in abundance within and between seasons. In 2001, Bay State observers were treated to an outstanding year for all three Vanessas. Moreover, the growing number of active observers, and improved communication among them, makes it possible to assemble a fairly clear picture of the entire season's events. Relying on posts to the Massachusetts butterfly listserver (MASSLEP), personal communications from many observers, and existing information on butterfly migrations, this article attempts to summarize one of the most captivating facets of a generally excellent year for state butterfly enthusiasts.

One interesting thing about Vanessa butterflies is the rarity with which they may overwinter in Massachusetts. One American Lady, found in badly worn condition in a greenhouse in Edgartown on March 2, 1998 (J. Verner, pers. comm.) probably survived the winter with human assistance; otherwise, a handful of late March Red Admirals and early April American Ladies appear to represent all of the truly early-season Bay State Vanessa sightings from recent years (Massachusetts Butterflies, nos. 7-16). Even these reports may not reflect overwintering individuals, because the warm conditions that might resurrect a dormant butterfly are usually associated with warm southwesterly winds that might just as easily be blowing migrants into the region. For all practical purposes, every spring brings a fresh population of these butterflies to the Bay State. Where things go from there is anybody's guess, though, and 2001 illustrated what dynamic results may spring from our annual influx of these butterflies.

American Lady

The Massachusetts early date for this species was pushed back by two full weeks (April 15 to April 1 ) between 1997 and 2001, according to Massachusetts Butterfly Club (MBC) records - a change probably more reflective of increased observer effort than of any meaningful change in the habits of the butterfly. But while many years see a smattering of early April records for this species, often but not always from thesoutheast


coast, the appearance of significant numbers of American Ladies in the state usually occurs in the latter half of the month. In this respect, then, 2001 got off to a thoroughly typically start. A lady, not identifiable to species but presumably American, was noted (M. Pelikan) on April 5 in West Tisbury. Then, on a very warm April 24, a sharply defined influx of American Ladies became evident in the eastern part of the state: eight individuals were counted as they headed east-northeast through a yard in Holliston (R. Hildreth) - a report of particular interest because it provides direct evidence of migration by early American Ladies - while MASSLEP carried reports of two ladies, probably American, in Burlington (B. Wright), and single individuals in Orleans and Dover (M. Freeman). Behavioral notes from the latter observer suggest that these arrivals were already seeking suitable host plants on which to oviposit: the Orleans butterfly was described as "fly[ing] in over the salt marsh" before "scanning the yard," while the Dover individual was reportedly sniffing around a yard known to be rich in everlasting, one of this species' host plants, even though emergent vegetation was not yet evident to the observer.

The establishment of American Ladies in the state rapidly gained steam, and MASSLEP reports tracked the process. Beginning on April 26, a North Shore observer (SStichter) provided more evidence both of coordinated movements and of oviposition, noting small numbers of American Ladies passing northward through her yard in Newbury, with some lingering to pursue each other or lay eggs on pussy-toes, another host plant. American Ladies began to appear farther west and north, as in the case of a "very pale and worn" individual noted at Barre Falls on April 28 [M. Lynch]. And numbers rapidly increased, as indicated by an April 29 report of 57 from Westport (D. Peacock).

May was simply an excellent month for this species in Massachusetts. Across most of the state, American Ladies were virtually inescapable: wherever you stood, ladies flew past, and any nectar source you checked seemed to have one or several ladies refueling on it. Many variables, from patchy distribution of the butterflies to varying observer effort and skill, complicate any attempt to compare this flight to previous flights of this species in terms of numbers or density. Rough assessments by veteran observers, though, suggest that the May 2001 flight was enormous, very appreciably larger than average.

But regardless of how this flight stacked up in terms of volume, it stood out because of the clarity with which the migratory behavior of the butterflies was evident. On May 2, 27 American Ladies were noted moving north at Plum Island, in Newburyport (R. Heil). Two days later, and again on May 10, the same observer reported over 100 moving north at this location (these reports seem to indicate the height of the migration). Highest numbers were generally noted along the coast, although


significant numbers were also reported from inland: e.g., 75-100 near Holyoke on May 6 (A.Grkovich). In most cases, butterflies were noted heading to the north or northeast, suitable bearings for southern butterflies intent on colonizing New England. But the migration picture was complicated by a few reports of American Ladies moving in other directions. For example, on April 29, "a steady stream [of American Ladies] heading west" from Aquinnah, on the western tip of Martha's Vineyard, was noted (V. Laux). The course would take butterflies toward the mainland, which is a reasonable direction for them to want to head from the Vineyard. But how they knew they were off course, and how they determined an appropriate course to follow, are difficult questions. Perhaps more easily explained were the 31 American Ladies noted on May 5 in Newburyport as they followed the Merrimac River (M. Lynch). While the MASSLEP post was not clear on whether the butterflies were heading upstream or down, it appears that they were simply aligning their flight with a distinct, linear geographical feature.

By late May, numbers of American Ladies reported had declined markedly, and while some reports continued to comment on migrants (e.g., 23 noted in Foxboro by B. Cassie on June 8-10, with some individuals moving north), fewer observers were noting (or at least reporting) coordinated directional movements. By mid-June, numbers of this species had fallen low enough so that it was no longer conspicuously abundant. And, perhaps surprisingly, the robust spring movement of American Ladies, and their widely reported reproductive activity, failed to produce notably large numbers of this species later in the year. While American Ladies were present in the state, sometimes in significant numbers, for the remainder of the season, their distribution became quite patchy, and the maximum numbers reported never rivaled the numbers noted in May. This species was absent from many MASSLEP posts in July, August, and September, or reported only in very low numbers. Numbers recorded on mid-July Fourth of July Butterfly Counts were generally modest (e.g., 79 on the Martha's Vineyard count, 24 on the Northern Essex County count, and 42 on the Blackstone Valley count). On an annual coastal migrant count conducted in the fall in Westport and South Dartmouth, the maximum single-day count of American Ladies in 2001 was only 11, compared with 51 in 2000 and 28 in 1999. But, as the rest of this article will show, the dearth of American Ladies was barely noticed because their spring influx proved to be just the first course of a very large meal.

Red Admiral

Even more so than American Ladies, Red Admirals are notorious


for huge variations in numbers. This is also a species known to stage largescale migrations, one of which was well documented by A.E. Brower (1958). In June 1957, Brower and other observers noted the sudden onset of Red Admirals moving in large volume (as high as 500 per hour across a 20-foot front) across a front dozens of miles wide in Maine. While numbers rapidly declined from these peaks, Brower comments that numbers remained higher than usual into August. In Massachusetts in 2001, the Red Admiral migration may or may not have produced such high densities of butterflies, but it quite certainly exceeded the 1957 Maine flight in duration and extent.

The 2001 season actually began inauspiciously for this hardy migrant; we are unaware of any early April reports, and it was not until a couple of days after the American Lady migration began that this species appeared in the state in significant numbers. Through most of May, scattered Red Admirals attracted little attention among the hordes of American Ladies, but by the end of May, the relative abundance of these species had reversed. On June 1, an observer on Martha's Vineyard (M. Pelikan) reported ladies and admirals passing through a small yard in Oak Bluffs at a rate of "one every several minutes," with about two thirds of the butterflies observed being Red Admirals. Over the following days, many more reports appeared on MASSLEP of good numbers of admirals. In many cases, the butterflies were migrating north or northeast (e.g., 16 migrants in three hours in West Bridgewater, reported on June 1 by B. Cassie; 47 in Ipswich, reported on June 5 by S. Stichter). But in many cases, some or all of the Red Admirals observed were lingering near or ovipositing upon nettle, as was the case with about 80 individuals reported from Marshfield on June 1 (D. Furbish). As with American Ladies, the highest numbers of admirals were reported from the coast, but there was no shortage of inland reports: for example, P. Weatherby reported "many" from Williamstown on May 28, T. Gagnon reported 41 from Mt. Greylock on June 6, and T. Moore reported 14 from Grafton on June 13, either migrating "with a purpose. . . [or] pausing to nectar."

While it appeared that one peak of the Red Admiral migration came in early June, numbers continued well above average into late July, when a second peak became evident. Some of this increase reflected the arrival of another wave of migrants (e.g., 143 reported heading north on July 7, by M. Lynch). But many individuals in this second bloom of admirals were probably of local origin: for example, on July 4, B. Cassie reported "lots of Red Admirals hatching out from the nettle patches" in Brookline, while Roger Pease, examining the floodplain on the east side of the Connecticut River for about 1.1 miles, found 'a zone of Wood Nettle (with) hundreds of thousands of leaves sewn or folded together for the entire 1.1 miles. However, there were almost no caterpillars left


and very few adutts." The Blackstone Valley Fourth of July count produced 146 Red Admirals, and this species was the most numerous butterfly found on the Martha's Vineyard count, with 489 individuals tallied.

By the end of July, numbers had declined sharply, despite reports such as S. Stichter's observation of "lots" of Red Admiral larvae, plus a few adults, along the Parker River in Essex County on August 1. Many reports indicated that the summer's influx of Red Admirals made it into northern New England (most notable was an estimated 6000+ larval nests reported by B. Cassie and R. Hildreth from Maine's Petit Manan Island on August 23). And although late summer and autumn reports were generally unremarkable in Massachusetts, northern populations apparently produced a good southern migration: numbers reported by the Westport migration count were substantial, peaking with 137 individuals on October 3.

Perhaps the most puzzling aspect of the July Red Admiral migration was the apparent arrival of thousands of individuals from over open ocean. While the rates of arrival observed at any one point seem unremarkable, amazing estimates of total numbers emerge if one assumes uniform arrival over an extended front. John Price of New York reported Red Admirals coming ashore on July 5 on east-facing Marconi Beach on the Outer Cape, riding a light easterly wind at the rate of about two per minute over a 50 yard front. Assuming the same rate of arrival over five miles of beach, this figure extrapolates to a total of around 100,000 butterflies over a five-hour period! Also on July 5, B. Cassie and his Park School summer students saw 100+ Red Admirals flying west over George's Island, just off the northern tip of Hull., in a two-hour period at midday. On July 15, M. Pelikan reported 50 Red Admirals in about an hour, arriving from the southeast on the Vineyard's south shore over an observed front estimated, fairly precisely, at 1 00 yards. Extrapolated on the assumption of a uniform arrival rate along roughly 20 miles of Vineyard south shore, this works out to a rate of about 17,000 butterflies per hour! (Oddly, this movement ended as soon as the prevailing northwest wind gave way to a southerly sea breeze; it could not be determined whether the halt in arrivals meant that all the individuals out at sea had come ashore, or if the butterflies were oriented to fly into the wind and incoming individuals reversed their direction when encountering the wind shift.) In each of these cases, there is no land for thousands of miles in the direction from which the butterflies were arriving. While Williams (1965) suggests that butterflies can fly over open water for several hundred miles under their own power, and well over a thousand miles if aided by favorable winds, trans-Atlantic arrival for these Red Admirals seems inconceivable. But if they originated in North America, one is left with the


questions of how they came to be over open ocean in the first place, and how they found their way back to land once they got there.

Painted Lady

The Painted Lady is, in most years, by far the rarest of our Vanessas. And certainly Bay State observers came up with little evidence early in the season that 2001 would be any different. But in April, reports from the southwestern United States suggested that an awesome movement of these butterflies was heading north, with perhaps hundreds of millions of butterflies involved. Williams (1 965) suggests that Painted Ladies arriving from Mexico essentially repopulate the United States each year; so, given the millions of butterflies that were on the move in the Southwest, it was seemingly just a matter of time before Massachusetts experienced a wave of these beautiful insects.

The first 2001 Bay State report for this species that we are aware of came on April 26, from New Salem (D. Small). But this species was reported only sparingly through May, and even reports that might have attracted attention in normal years (e.g., 10 on Mt. Greylock on June 6, noted by T. Gagnon and others) seemed to pale in comparison to the voluminous numbers of American Ladies and Red Admirals. The 2001 season continued as a good but by no means astonishing one for Painted Ladies through June, July, and most of August (the Vineyard Fourth of July count, for example, produced a fine count of 18); but as August began to draw to a close, numbers of Painted Ladies in the state spiked dramatically. As was the case with the second peak of Red Admirals, both local eclosers and migrants may have been involved. The first inklings of a Painted Lady bloom came from inland observers (for example, C. Kamp reported six very fresh individuals in Princeton on August 26). But perhaps more so than in the case of the other Vanessas, the September Painted Lady phenomenon was primarily coastal. A Vineyard observer (M. Pelikan) on August 30 noted nine Painted Ladies on a single butterfly bush in Oak Bluffs (just one week after finding a total of only three Vanessas during several hours in the field); daily counts on the Vineyard were routinely on the order of 40 individuals during the first half of September, often with no special effort being made to find butterflies, and single-location counts were routinely between 10 and 20 individuals. K. Haley noted 20+ Painted Ladies in Marblehead on September 9. The Westport migrant count noted about 80 on September 2 and 118 on the next day. Westport numbers peaked at 216 on September 9, and the scale of this event can be measured by comparing this figure to the previous two years' single-day highs: six in 2000, three in 1999! Many of these individuals were presumably


migrants, but few reports gave any indication of strongly coordinated movement by this species.

Late Vanessas As Painted Lady numbers declined with the waning of

September, Massachusetts observers might reasonably have assumed the excitement was over. After all, they had enjoyed an excellent American Lady flight, two excellent Red Admiral flights, and a superb Painted Lady flight. But it ain't over until it's over, and after a fairly quiet (but generally very mild) autumn, a striking little blip of late-season nyrnphalids was noted. An observer in Westport (B. Cassie) got December off to a good start with four Painted and two American Ladies on the first of the month. All were in immaculate condition. Ensuing reports came mainly (perhaps exclusively) from the coast, where ocean temperatures moderate the late autumn chill: a Red Admiral was noted at Westport on December 5 (M. Champagne), and on the same day, one American and two Painted Ladies, plus a single Red Admiral, figured among the five butterfly species noted on Martha's Vineyard (M. Pelikan). A single Painted Lady was still alive in Oak Bluffs on December 10 (M. Pelikan), nectaring on wild mustard on the morning after a moderate frost. And finally, birders on Cape Ann, Essex County, noted a butterfly that was apparently a lady (although not identified to species) on December 16 (fide M. Lynch). Thus, at the end of a remarkable season for Vanessas, the Bay State produced the latest sightings on record for all three of our species in this genus: a remarkable end to a remarkable year.

References

Brower, A.E. 1958. A Flight of Red Admiral Butterflies Across Maine. Maine Field Naturalist 14(2): 37-39.

Williams, C.B. 1965. Insect Migration. London: N.N. Collins.

The authors are especially grateful to the participants of the MASSLEP mailing list. We have attempted to credit all individuals whose reports are directly cited in this article, but many other reports were considered in assessing the 2001 Vanessa flights, and we gratefully acknowledge the contributions made by these observers.


Checkerspot Farm - A Success Story by Madeline Champagne

(from conversations with Tor Hanson and Laurie Christiana)

In North Truro, close to Provincetown at the end of Cape Cod, is a dry meadow area known as Twinefield - where bits of twine can still be found in the dirt, from the times when local fishermen spread their nets over the fields so that they could work on them, and kept the fields open by burning. For many years Tor Hanson has been studying and loving the Twinefield area, and watching the free areas disappear, as the land turns to residential.

One day in the spring of 1999, Laurie Christiana and Kathy Williams were checking out their property, which encompasses about one acre. The horse foundation had been poured. Out of the nearby woods popped Tor, whom they had heard about from the local people as "The Butterfly Man." At that time, Laurie and Kathy didn't know much about butterflies. Tor engaged them in conversation, and pointed out the large areas of English Plantain on their land where there was a population of Baltimore Checkerspot butterflies. He showed them the caterpillars which were then on the plants. He explained about the larval host plant +and the Baltimore Checkerspot life cycle - adults fly in late June and early July, and the caterpillars that emerge from the eggs in midJuly grow slowly, spend the winter as small caterpillars, and then come up in May when the plants grow again.

After learning about the Baltimore Checkerspots, Laurie and Kathy changed their plans for the location of their wood shed, and have kept most of the backyard natural. Blue-stemmed grass and English Plantain are predominant, and there is also milkweed and Butterfly weed. Rabbits foot Clover attracts Eastern Tailed-Blues. Bushy (Tartarian) honeysuckle protects the yard from high winds, and attracts Red Admirals and Mourning Cloaks. Along a fence is a vegetable garden, bordered by coreopsis - one kind of flower they have planted for the butterflies - which is in bloom when the Baltimore Checkerspot adults emerge.

Laurie and Kathy have enjoyed three seasons of Baltimore Checkerspots and other species, and they will be living in harmony with the butterflies for years to come. The story of Checkerspot Farm started with Tor's dedicated interest in butterflies and the environment. It continues with Laurie's and Kathy's efforts and concerns. In these times of typically careless development, it is heartwarming to know of such a success story.


Cover artwork by Annalise Nurme, a third grade

student at The Park School, Brookline.


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Spring 2002 - North American Butterfly Association · Massachusetts Butterfly Club, a chapter of...

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